skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, February 14, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Federal prosecutors in NY and DC resign after refusing to drop Mayor Eric Adams charges; IN weighs Bitcoin bet in state investments; In rural east KY, communities find ways to boost kids early learning; and start date for MN's paid leave law is now up for debate.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Federal workers tasked with securing elections from foreign interference are placed on leave, parents' organizations reject dismantling Dept. of Education, and the Congressional Black Caucus presses discussions on slavery reparations.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Rural America struggles with opioids and homelessness in unexpected ways, Colorado's Lariat Ditch could help spur local recreation, and book deliveries revive rural communities hit by Hurricane Helene.

SD Plan to Ban Gender-Affirming Care Stokes Privacy Debate

play audio
Play

Monday, February 6, 2023   

South Dakota is once again locked in a debate over a bill concerning transgender youth.

It seeks to ban gender-affirming care, with supporters saying they want to protect minors, while opponents call it a major intrusion on a family's personal medical decisions.

The state Senate is expected to take up the bill after it was overwhelmingly approved by the House last week. It would prohibit treatments like hormone therapy for those under 18.

Bill sponsors say adolescents shouldn't be seeking out care they might regret. But Susan Williams, executive director of South Dakota's Transformation Project Advocacy Network, pointed out that these aren't rash decisions made by teens on their own.

"Gender-affirming care would start with a therapist meeting with a family, meeting with a youth and doing several assessments," said Williams. "That can take six months or more."

She said lawmakers trying to have their say would be violating a family's privacy.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says having this care for adolescents is a crucial part of helping them thrive.

Last year, South Dakota approved a law banning transgender youth from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity. Other conservative states have adopted similar laws, including targeting gender-affirming care.

Williams said she feels there's too much misinformation being floated within these debates.

"They're using words like 'genital mutilation' and 'chemical castration,'" said Williams, "and these words are meant to instill fear in the general public."

The HHS says procedures such as gender-affirming surgeries are typically used in adulthood.

Meanwhile, some of the laws in other states have led to lawsuits. Opponents of the South Dakota bill predict as currently written, it would lead to costly litigation.




get more stories like this via email
more stories
In 2023, the Biden administration ordered a Bakersfield oil company to remove old oil rigs from Carrizo Plain National Monument in Central California. (Bob Wick/BLM)

Environment

play sound

Groups that fight to protect public lands are criticizing the Trump administration's new review of all oil, gas and mining on public lands. National …


Environment

play sound

This weekend, Virginians will participate with other birders around the world in the Great Backyard Bird Count. Thousands of birding enthusiasts …

Environment

play sound

This weekend, birders across the world, including in Maryland, will participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count. Thousands of birding enthusiasts …


A new study looking at drought impacts on grasslands found that such lands in China saw a 43% reduction in annual productivity, compared with just a 25% reduction in North America under the same conditions. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Grasslands are considered a vital component of South Dakota's landscape. But on the heels of new research, an expert suggests they might not fare as …

Social Issues

play sound

Minnesota is little less than a year away from launching its paid-leave law, but state lawmakers are debating whether to delay the start until 2027…

In its next contract, the Manhattan School of Music Precollege Program faculty union is looking for "reasonable" class sizes and for teachers to easily access remote learning tools when needed. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

A New York City music school's faculty is back in the classroom after a weeklong strike. The Manhattan School of Music's Precollege Program faculty …

Social Issues

play sound

A New York bill would require schools to teach about the Jan. 6 insurrection. The bill calls for all K-12 students to be taught about the event…

Health and Wellness

play sound

An Atlanta-based group is making sure more people have access to an unconventional but effective treatment for their moderate mental health challenges…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021